One of the most important things about being in a relationship is learning how to keep the relationship going even after the honeymoon phase is over, and all the small imperfections start to surface.

As the relationship goes on, you will run into disagreements, which will eventually lead into arguments and fights that could strain the relationship, or even hurt each other whether you intend to or not.

To prevent relationship problems before they get out of hand, here are a few techniques you can use with your partner:

1. Engage, don’t enrage
Most arguments between couples happen because of small things or annoying habits that a partner keeps repeating, rather than a disagreement over a big decision.

A healthy couple will try to dig deep in any emotional argument to find out what really is the reason why they’re fighting with each other, and to hear – and carefully listen – to what the other is trying to say.

To resolve issues with your partner, it’s important to keep a calm head since making criticizing comments or intentionally pushing buttons won’t fix anything, but instead make things worse.

2. Take the initiative, but don’t dominate
Taking the initiative and dominating the relationship are two different things – and the important factor that distinguishes one from the other is choice.

Rather than outright telling your partner to stop doing something or start doing something a certain way, try to encourage a conversation about it and open yourself and your partner up to possible compromise and alternatives.

Even though you are in a relationship, boundaries are still important, and you need to respect your partner’s if you want your partner to respect yours.

3. Avoid shaming your partner
Avoid using words or doing things that could shame or make your partner feel humiliated. Take a moment to think about what you want to say, and be sure to use words to focus on the action instead of the person.

In this same way, you also want to avoid taking your partner for granted – gratitude can be more life changing for you and your partner when you acknowledge and are thankful for the different things you bring to the relationship.

4. Practice being vulnerable to your partner
Being emotionally naked to your partner can be more terrifying than being physically naked, especially if it’s your first time. However, while being vulnerable can get you hurt, this is only the way that genuine connections and intimacy can develop with your partner.

Aside from openly communicating, expressing, and sharing your feelings with your partner, it’s also important to know your partner’s “love language”, which is how your partner gives and receives love and affection.

Finding time to relax today can be really difficult, especially with a hectic schedules, long hours, and equally long commutes, but there are a few ways to wind down after a really long day – and the easiest way to do that is by cuddling.

Here are the biggest reasons why cuddling is amazing, and why you should cuddle more often with your partner:

1. It releases a feel-good hormone
Physical intimacy releases oxytocin, a neurochemical made by the hypothalamus in the brain, and plays a lot in helping you feel connected to not just other people, but also towards your partner.

If you’re feeling quite isolated after a significant amount of time at work, hugging your partner after long stretches of time can really do a lot to curb symptoms of depression, and life your spirits.

2. It relieves pain and lowers the risk of heart disease
Oxytocin is a feel-good hormone that reduces the symptoms of pain, which is great if you’ve been feeling discomfort all day, whether you’ve been feeling pain in your neck or anywhere else on your body.

And because it’s crucial in lowering stress, it also in turn lowers blood pressure, which means that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to combat stress and sickness. This lowers the risk of heart disease, and allows you to live healthier and for longer.

3. Cuddling reduces stress
The effect of oxytocin on the human body not just lowers heart and breathing rates, but in turn also reduces stress and gives you more confidence when dealing with social situations. It can even allow you to manage stress better.
Because it lowers heart and breathing rates, it also helps you sleep better with your partner, and you’re more likely to fall asleep faster when your breathing and heart rates are lower thanks to cuddling.

4. It deepens relationships
Communication is a lot more important in relationships than you think – and your partner’s meaningful touch after a long, stressful day can give you the much-needed break and give you time to focus solely on your partner.

This also gives way to a deeper and stronger relationship, and a hug or more is great for not just relieving stress, but also an easy way to keep having regular intimacy (and even sex) with your partner, which is always a plus.

The more frequently you cuddle, the more likely you also are to trust your partner and vice versa, as it fires up the neurons in your brain that tell you to trust your partner, which in turn leads to a deeper and more fulfilling relationship.

A door access control system offers people secure access to certain rooms in a home or office given that they are authorized to enter. This simply means that you can deny unwanted and unauthorized people from going into important rooms of your house or entering a certain area in your work facility. But what else can it really do for us?

Door access systems
A card access door has been common access system for quite a time. But, the risk of losing or getting your card stolen is also still apparent. Similarly, there is a pin access door system which is also a common and simple access system used typically for low security applications. In contrast, the biometric door access system can be very reliable for security because it identifies the person himself and not a card or pin number. These access systems for your office in Singapore usually use a double EM lock and have key cards or keypads but can also employ a thumbprint biometric. There are also ones that have more advanced biometric authentication features which can detect a facial biometric and can track access entry in the room.

An intercom system is an electronic communication device that allows you to send and receive audio or video transmissions. In the present, the use of intercom solution has seen a decline because of smartphones and other advanced communication devices. Nonetheless, it is still practical as a paging system and can also advance door access systems.

For example, if you are inside a secure room and there’s someone knocking on the door- you are suspicious of who it is. If your Singapore office’s access system is installed with an intercom system, you may talk to strangers before opening the door without actually exposing yourself. Of course, it would be helpful to have security cameras (IP camera or an analog camera) by the door, but we’ll talk about that later.

An SIP intercom is another type of system that can typically allow for session set-ups and management through calls and the internet. SIP stands for Session Initiation Protocol, and is basically used for starting or ending real-time video, voice, and messaging sessions.

Door access and cameras
Both access and security can be enhanced with the presence of cameras. Probably the most common and is used almost everywhere is the CCTV. Usually, a CCTV wireless camera in Singapore is used to monitor office activities, traffic surveillance, perimeter security, capture video footage of break in, etc. A CCTV, specifically the older version of this security camera, uses an analog camera. Some might find one quite disadvantageous, though, because of the blurry footage. That’s part of the reason why the IP camera has also seen a rise. In simple terms, it is a security camera that provides better image quality and has superior flexibility and reliability compared to analog CCTVs.

An IP CCTV can also send and receive data through computer networks and/or the internet. This way, it is considered great for security when associated with biometric door access systems. An IP CCTV can also be used to register and analyze a facial biometric.

Aside from these biometric systems, you may also opt to implement a time attendance software for your business needs. This is an innovative way for your office in Singapore to auto count employee time at work. A wireless intercom system allows you to manage and automate business processes so even when you’re in remote areas.

Even with the low crime rate in Singapore, it would still be best to have a door access control system. Whether it’s a swipe card, pin code, face or thumbprint biometric, having a good access system can mean a lot. Add to that, a CCTV camera or an IP camera and you’ll be good to go.

Cognition or our ability to think, is basically comprised of different functions. One of which is memory.
However, it seems to be a common phenomenon for us to consider lucky those who have an efficient memory. We all have the capacity to do just that but sad to say we have neglected measures how to achieve such ability.

Don’t fret though. Here are a few tips to get you started on improving your memory:

1. Pay attention
In this day and age when people seem to have shorter attention span than any other generation before us, it’s a bit challenging to actually stay put and pay attention. But it is a must if you want to improve your memory. It takes an approximate of 8 seconds before information gets register in your mind, and a whole lot longer than that for it to be engraved for future retrieval and use. So make sure to stay a little longer than usual when you want details to last a little longer than your cursory perception.

2. Involve senses
When committing information to memory, make sure you allow it to reach other senses. Connect how this car interior’s texture feel a lot like a fruit you’ve eaten recently or a type of cloth you’ve just came across with. Nail details to perceptive details your senses offer you so you can retrieve it easier and faster

3. Relate to existing information you know
When trying to learn new material, it sticks much longer to memory when you relate it to a previous learning you’ve already had. Connect it to an experience very familiar to you, and you’ll find you won’t forget that new information. If a name you have to remember sounds like a planet, then connect it to that planet. If a number you have to remember contains an area code you already know, connect it to the area code while committing it to memory. These simple techniques help you improve memory engraving.

4. Translate to your own words
When learning a new procedure, it’s always best to translate instructions as to how you would tell them to another person not familiar with it. Or in other words, try to teach it to someone else and you’ll find yourself more familiar with it than you would when learning alone. Make sure to translate it to your own words and not merely memorizing it word for word, as this hinders comprehension and therefore good memory build up.

5. Rehearsal
When trying to learn something new, make sure to keep practicing it until it’s a no-brainer for you to demonstrate it or teach it. Spaced rehearsal is always preferred over cramming.

6. Use mnemonic devices
If you find yourself with a load of information that you need to keep well-stacked in your memory, you could always use a good mnemonic device. Use abbreviations and other personally-relevant codes to help you commit otherwise foreign information in your head. This is effective especially for lengthy information.

Who doesn’t like a sharp memory to accompany you to work or school? You wouldn’t have to worry about where you put your keys, what to answer during exams, and even where you parked your car. Life would be a breeze, with you prancing your way through it.

But human as we are, we have limitations and our memory is one of them. No matter how concentrated we are, there are just some information that’s too evasive to retrieve.

So here’s a few tips to help you improve your memory:

1. Work your brain muscle
Our brain is like a muscle that needs some stretching and some exercise too. Like athletes, we need to keep it in tip-top shape if we are to use it. So make sure you engage in brain-boosting activities to ensure you’re working it right. You’ll know if an activity is brain-boosting if it teaches you something new.

Learning how to drive makes your brain work since it commands all those hand-eye coordination skills you need from bumping into the next car. A good brain-booster is also challenging by nature. It pushes you to squeeze those creative juices out from your brain. After the activity, it also is fulfilling after all that mental exertion.

2. Exercise
Not only is exercise good for the body, but the mind as well. When you engage in physical activity, oxygen levels in the brain also increase therefore allowing it to function better. It also allows secretion of beneficial chemicals in the brain and reduce secretion of stress hormones. Neuroplasticity also increases, or the ability of the neurons to pass and accept information quickly and efficiently therefore allowing you to retrieve information faster.

3. Sleep well
Experts say that adults need around 7.5–9 hours of sleep each night, or else sleep deprivation takes place. Well-slept people have ample amounts of oxygen in their brains, making it easier to process memory, problem-solving abilities, creativity, and critical thinking skills. In short, lapses in memory are minimized if not totally eradicated if you make it habit to have a good night’s sleep.

4. Connect with friends
Socialization is not only good for your reputation but for your memory as well. When you meet with friends, your memory is exercised and put to good use as you recount experiences and stories. These conversations are good stimulators for your memory muscles. It also helps the brain secrete hormones good for overall mental health.

5. Minimize stress
In case you don’t know yet, prolonged stress actually causes brain cells to deteriorate and damages the brain’s emotional regulator, the hippocampus. This is also the part of the brain responsible for forming new memories and retrieving old ones. So if you don’t want to lose all those information and skills you’ve accumulated in your lifetime, make sure to minimize stressors and keep them at a tolerable distance. Minimize your stress then you’ll preserve your memory muscles.

6. Laugh
When people said that laughter is the best medicine, they knew what they were talking about. When we laugh, the action engages different regions of the brain, much more than any other emotional stimulation. Laughter actually activates parts of the brain essential to creativity and learning.

So, you just tried to paint the wall of your room and now you consider yourself as the best painter in all of Singapore. But, after a while you notice that the paint dried up and it didn’t end up the way you wanted it to look at all. Simply for that reason, just go and seek the experts and call for painting services!

Hiring a painting contractor
A good painting contractor will be diligent and attentive to the details. Plus, they might not only help you with the painting service, but also share some knowledge and tips on what type of paint to use and everything you should do just after the walls are painted.

Hiring an HDB painting contractor will be very beneficial in your part, especially with Condo painting. Because they are already associated with the Housing and Development Board, you are guaranteed expert advice along with immediate and quality services. You’ll also be able to put your trust on them because they are licensed painters.

An HDB painting service also can be helpful even when you have questions regarding color schemes and the best paint colours to use in different rooms or locations in the house or condo.

To hire a painter definitely won’t be a mistake in your part. Condo painting or residential wall coloring in Singapore should be easy enough if you leave it to the hands of a professional. This is also because there are a lot more factors that you and your commercial painting contractor should consider, like lighting for example. The ‘trick of the light’ is that there will always be different light exposures at different times of the day. The paint may look different depending on the lighting in the morning, and surely it will also look different depending on the lighting at night.

More benefits of having a painting service
Sometimes there are also painting services that would include furniture and wood repainting during their employment. Even before the process of painting itself, you can meet the contractors and discuss everything about the job so that you have an understanding and they will not likely make a lot of mistakes.

Resorting to cheap house painting would not also be a bad idea at all. As long as your painting contractor recommends it or thinks it will suit the job perfectly. The cost of paint will also vary, depending obviously on quality. Sometimes it can get pretty expensive so looking to hire cheap services might be cost-efficient.

If you’re looking for a commercial painting service, there usually is a residential paint contractor that will be ready to answer your call. These services can be practical because the painting contractor can see the house for himself and give his recommendations then and there.

You might have your own plans and ideas for interior house painting, but taking others advice into account will leave you with great outcomes. Don’t overlook the value of good painting services. Professional help will definitely improve the quality and final result of whatever is being painted.

Your home’s plumbing system is one of the often-neglected aspects of your house, but it’s actually one of the most important, as sanitation issues can easily arise with faulty and clogged pipes.
While engaging professional plumbing services is great, you would want to make sure that you get only the best pro for any of your repair and maintenance needs.

Here are a few questions you need to ask before hiring an expert plumber:

1. How many years have you been in the business?

Experience is the biggest factor that keeps a plumbing contractor in the business, especially for cleaning solutions that is on call for every emergency situation you may have for your office or home. The longer they have been in the business, the better. Plus, being in the industry for a significant amount of time, they may have also had the best plumbing workmen here in Singapore.

2. Do you have a license?

Like most professions, being a reliable plumber needs the necessary license and certification before he can work under a plumbing company in Singapore. A PUB licensed plumber has gone through the necessary training and has the skills needed to correct and install piping fixtures.

3. What warranties and insurances can your company offer?

Paying and fixing damages caused by a botched work may cost you more than you have planned to pay for the job. Whether you just needed to install a sink, fix broken pipe or replace your bathroom’s entire plumbing system, warranties will guarantee that in case of damage, you are financially covered by your emergency toilet repair man in Singapore. A licensed HDB plumbing contractor will always have the right services along with the necessary insurance to keep you and your property protected.

4. Do you provide emergency services?

There are a lot of plumbing problems that can happen anytime and any day. Hiring a 24 hours plumber service is crucial especially for any emergency plumber assistance that you might need at home or in the office.

However, depending on your emergency situation, you may not always need to look for a professional plumbing services company. For minor cases such as a toilet bowl choke, you can always simply hire a contractor with regular office hours, since round-the-clock services can be quite expensive. An experienced craftsman should still be able to fix toilet bowl issues in no more than a day.

5. Can you provide a written estimate?

For instance, if you need to fix broken pipes, you would want to get an estimated cost first. But rather than getting one through the phone, it would be best to have cheap plumbers come over to assess and inspect the piping issue. By then, the plumber should already be able to assess and provide a written estimated cost of the job needed.

Once the plumbing cost estimate is given, be sure to ask if the cost of the labor, materials, and the insurance are already included. This ensures that there would be no surprises in the billing after the repair has been done.

Your home isn’t just yours alone, but it’s also home to many different particles that either breeze in through the window or are part of the things that you bring home with you after going outside.

These particles, ranging from specks of dust to mold spores, eventually settle into the corners of your home, such as the cracks between your walls and ceiling. They can multiply and spread given the right environment, which is one that’s high in humidity, or moisture in the air.

Fortunately, there are a few ways to know this, such as the following:

1. You see mold stains on the ceiling or in the corners of your walls.
Mold stains are the easiest to spot and are often the biggest tell-tale sign that the air inside your house is too humid. These start off as little dark spots that grow in size when left in the right conditions, and could cause allergic reactions in some people.

2. Recurring dampness despite everything being dry.
If you happen to live on the ground floor, there is also a good chance that this is the sign of faulty plumbing, especially if this dampness occurs near the kitchen or the sink. Do make your own investigations, but always be sure to call a professional service just in case.

3. You see visible signs of water stains or damage.
These are another tell-tale sign of excess moisture at home, though you may need to look into your plumbing a little further to make sure this isn’t the result of a leaking pipe. Having a dehumidifier is a first step when it comes to minimizing the damage, especially if many parts of your home or HDB flat are made from wood.

4. The air at home begins to smell musty.
Mildew and mold is always nearby whenever that musty smell is in the air. This can happen if windows aren’t sealed correctly or because of faulty plumbing, and the resulting mold spores could trigger allergic reactions if left to progress significantly throughout the house.

5. You encounter rotting wood.
Excessive moisture stored in wood will cause it to rot, which is a big problem if you have drywall, wooden fixtures, or appliances made of wood. This can affect the structural integrity and pose as a significant hazard, as well as attract unwanted pests to your home, such as termites.

If you notice wood starting to rot in or around your home, it may be a sign of excessive moisture or termites. As soon as possible, remove and replace the affected wood and purchase a dehumidifier to regulate the humidity of your home.